If you have built castles in the air, your work need not be lost; that is where they should be. Now put the foundations under them. ~Henry David Thoreau
Federigo Fiorillo 1755-1787 was a German violinist and composer. He was born in Brunswick in 1753. He began his musical studies on mandolin and then moved to the violin and viola. He was a violist in the Salomon Quartet in London in 1788 and later removed to Paris.
He did write some violin concertos but these 36 Etudes or Caprices are his most celebrated works.
Etudes are the foundation for a violin players technic. After you have accomplished Kreutzer, take a turn with Fiorillo.
Fiorillo's etudes are set up to move musically from one to the other as you play. To flow from one to the other as a flower does as it opens. For instance #14 ends with a c minor chord which is the II of g minor, then #15 begins in g minor. #15 ends on an
E Major chord which is the V of a minor and #16 begins in a minor.
There are not too many of them. Just a nice number. These are wonderful etudes to learn and use for technic building and later on for review. These are the only music Fiorillo is famous for. They are best done after Kreutzer and before Rode.
The etudes are somewhat musical, which make them a bit more enjoyable. My students usually go from Wolfhardt-Mazas-Kreutzer-Fiorillo. A few students have to take detours, due to needing more help in certain areas.
1- Largo - begins c minor - the following allegro is martele, be sure to create a good martele with your up bows, segue means to continue in the same manner.
2- Maestoso - has gestures in it, beginning in the second measure, watch the phrasing. Double stop trills, relax your hand.
3- Allegro - wonderful exersise for upbow stacaato. Use the upper half of the bow.
4- Moderato - know what the intervals are in the double stops and if they are (Major or minor) =large or small, this is a difficult etude
5- Allegro - 0ctaves, keep fingers 1 and 4 down at all times. Suggested metronome setting 104=eighth note
6- Andante sciolto: (leggiero = light, swift, delicate)- Watch the intonation on the trills, suggested metronome setting 76=eighth note
7- Poco Adagio -
8- Largo - good for bow control
9- Allegro - triplets, extensions, appagiaturas...note there is a slash on the gracenote.
10- Allegro - triplets, play with a deliberate stroke. Work for smooth shifts
11- Moderato - arpeggios, arpegios, arpeggios and trills
12- Moderato - excellent bowing exercise, begins D major - work for perfect intonation, long etude
13- Andante - begins B-flat major - moves to Presto in 3/8..continues Andante, Presto - Andante, Presto
14- Adagio - Sul G means to stay on the G string while you play, work for smooth shift, make it fluid, let it flow ends c minor the IV of g minor
15- Allegro - begins g minor triplets, this can be practiced as double stops for intonation. Keep a quiet hand, watch your arm on string crossings, ends on an E major chord V of a minor, Suggested metronome setting, quarter note =100
16- Allegro - begins in a minor,
17- Adagio - double stops
18- Allegretto - more double stops, last six measures octaves, slide do not jump, they begin as octaves and then become tenths
19- Allegretto -
20- Moderato -
21- Moderato - begins A Major - keep relaxed shifts, high notes, chromatics
22- Adagio -
23- Allegro - Keep fingers down
24- Allegro - triplets and octaves
25- Andante - sul G string
26- Allegro - you must be relaxed to play this, know what position you are in, arpeggios
27- Allegretto - triplets, octaves, high positions
28- Allegro assai - Keep a relaxed wrist and right hand
29- Grave - relax, sustained and double tones... Moderato - includes barriolage bowing
30- Allegro -
31- Moderato -
32- Adagio expressivo -
33- Allegro - arpeggios, octave, marcato bowing,
34- Moderato - be sure to stay in the suggested positions, use a metronome, good practice for positions above third
35- Adagio - moves to a Moderato assai
36- Thema - Tempo Moderato - Play with ease, relaxation and memorization is best for this etude. After you learn the chords, try all the different bowings
Federigo Fiorillo 1755-1787 was a German violinist and composer. He was born in Brunswick in 1753. He began his musical studies on mandolin and then moved to the violin and viola. He was a violist in the Salomon Quartet in London in 1788 and later removed to Paris.
He did write some violin concertos but these 36 Etudes or Caprices are his most celebrated works.
International Music- Galamian
1- Largo - begins c minor - the following allegro is martele, be sure to create a good martele with your up bows, segue means to continue in the same manner.
Maestoso - has gestures in it, beginning in the second measure, watch the phrasing. Double stop trills, relax your hand.
Allegro - wonderful exersise for upbow stacaato. Use the upper half of the bow.
Moderato - know what the intervals are in the double stops and if they are (Major or minor) =large or small, this is a difficult etude
Moderato - excellent bowing exercise, begins D major - work for perfect intonation, long etude
Adagio - Sul G means to stay on the G string while you play, work for smooth shift, make it fluid, let it flow ends c minor the IV of g minor
Allegro - begins g minor triplets, this can be practiced as double stops for intonation. Keep a quiet hand, watch your arm on string crossings, ends on an E major chord V of a minor, Suggested metronome setting, quarter note =100